January 27, 2020
Con Edison Demand Response Programs
There are two different Con Edison Demand Response Programs currently in operation around the city of New York. The programs, known as CSRP and DLRP respectively, are:
The Commercial System Relief Program (a.k.a. 21 Hour Notification Program)
The Distribution Load Relief Program (2 Hour or Less Notification Program)
(Image Courtesy of Con Edison)
How The Con Edison Demand Response Program Works
Essentially, participating customers are limiting their energy usage during high-demand periods in order to benefit their local community. Curbing electricity use during these peak times benefits the community by helping to maintain system reliability in the area. You can become a participating customer by enrolling in either of the two programs noted above: CSRP or DLRP. Further information for prospective Demand Response customers is available here, on the Con Edison website. You’ll also find a nice outline of some key CSRP/DLRP details on page 2 of this NYISO document.
How To Apply To The Demand Response Program
There are two main avenues of application to become a participating customer in the ConEd Demand Response Program for either the CSRP or DLRP:
Apply via Participating Aggregator: A full list of participating aggregators, plus contact details and other useful information, is available here.
Direct Application: If you can pledge 50 kW or more, you can check eligibility by emailing ConEd directly. If you are eligible, you’ll need to complete the Demand Response Application Form.
Additionally, Con Edison also runs a Smart Thermostat program which is open to both residential energy customers and small businesses (commercial). Full details here.
Details of CSRP Participation
Below are some key details for those taking part in the Con Edison CSRP.
Customers taking part in CSRP will be asked to reduce energy usage for 4 hours.
Notice of CSRP event will be provided 21 hours in advance.
Event will be confirmed or cancelled at least 2 hours before event start time.
Customers will be requested to participate during the peaking time of their network.
ConEd Demand Response Strategies & Approaches
The purpose of the Con Edison Demand Response program is to reduce energy use during peak times in order to create a more sustainable and dependable grid. Commercial and industrial facilities of all sizes may participate, allowing New York businesses to earn extra money each month. To earn this additional revenue, businesses are expected to reduce their energy use for a few hours at a time, and only at a few times in the year when requested to do so. This sounds simple in theory, but what are the practical steps a commercial or industrial building can take to reduce energy usage while participating? A blog post from Con Edison, linked here, outlines a number of strategies in detail, including specific suggestions for different building types (Industrial, Commercial, Nursing Home, Hotel). There are also guidelines for informing building tenants of participation in the Con Edison Demand Response Program.
CSRP Neighborhoods, Networks, and Zones
Network boundaries are not necessarily the same as conventional neighborhood borders. In fact, typically, network boundaries and neighborhood borders will differ. One example that Con Edison provides notes that the Richmond Hill network includes parts of both Queens and Brooklyn. You can download the full Con Edison document here for details of networks, tiers, zones, and locations:
Table 1 lists Con Edison networks by event call window.
Table 2 lists the same information by borough.
Network call windows are unchanged from 2019.
The document also contains helpful visual representations of this information, with color-coded maps of each borough (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island), and also Westchester, outlining the different event call windows. With the information provided in this document, you should be able to determine your CSRP zone and event window as a prospective participant in the Con Edison Demand Response Program.
The Con Edison Demand Response Program So Far
A Con Edison document covering all Demand Response Program events from 2011 through 2018 can be found here. This extensive log of Demand Response events shows time, duration, zone/network, associated program, and more. Furthermore, you can contact the Con Edison Demand Response team via email (DR@coned.com), if you have any further questions about the program, or participation in the program. Our list of sources, found at the end of this blog post, also contains a number of helpful, informative links about the Con Edison Demand Response Program and its progress in recent years.
To learn more about New York VDER or Con Edison CSRP Zones, contact YSG Solar today and speak to an energy expert. Just send an email to info@ysgsolar.com, or call us at 212.389.9215. For further information on Con Edison Demand Response Programs in New York, download this document for a full breakdown of event call windows, tier networks, and more.
By Shane Croghan
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